Sisyfos Film Production

Muzzled by the increasingly autocratic regime of the “depression Federation”, 16-yearold Marusya decides to join her generations’ suicide statistics by year’s end. Then she meets Kimi and an unexpected love story begins between the two millennials caught in the undertow of their oppressive government.

Together, Marusya and Kimi film the euphoria, anxiety and despair of their youth, burning the candle at both ends fuelled by drugs and music. When Kimi’s addiction threatens to make him fade away forever, Marusya’s camera becomes her last chance to save some part of his fragile soul.

Filmed over the course of 12 years, HOW TO SAVE A FRIEND is a personal cry from the heart, and a message from a silenced generation. It is an unbreakable love story existing in a destructible world.

Cast & Crew

Cast: Marusya Syroechkovskaya, Kirill Morev
Director: Marusya Syroechkovskaya
Producers: Ksenia Gapchenko (Docs Vostok/Russia), Mario Adamson (Sisyfos Film/Sweden)
Co-Producers: Anita Norfolk, Alexandre Cornu, Marusya Syroechkovskaya
Editor: Qutaiba Barhamji
Directors of Photography: Marusya Syroechkovskaya, Kirill Morev
Music: Felix Mikensky

Production Details

Format: Documentary
Year of production: 2022
Length: 104 min
Languages: Russian
Country of origin: Sweden, Norway, France, Germany

Additional info

Supported by:
Swedish Film Institute
Norwegian Film Institute,
Western Norway Film Centre
Fritt Ord Foundation
IDFA Bertha Fund
CNC

In co-production with:
Folk Film
Les Films du Tambour de Soie
Marusya Syroechkovskaya
Lyon Capitale TV
Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg in collaboration with ARTE

Developed as part of:
Nipkow Programm
Eurodoc
B2B Doc

Presented at:
IDFA Forum
DOK Preview Training at DOK Leipzig
Baltic Sea Docs

Premiere

Visions du Réel 2022

Festivals

Visions du Réel
IndieLisboa International Film Festival
ACID Cannes
DOK.fest München
Subversive Film Festival
Docaviv
Underhill Fest
Documentaire sur grand écran
Resistance Cinema
Golden Apricot IFF
Guanajuato IFF
:DOKUFEST
Nordisk Panorama
Kasseler Dokfest
Festival International du Film d'Amiens
Festival Les Ecrans Documentaires
ZINEBI64
Cork International Film Festival
DOC NYC
IDFA
Singapore International Film Festival
Tempo Documentary Festival

Prizes

Special Mention at Visions du Réel
Wild Dreamer Award at the Subversive Film Festival Croatia
International Competition Grand Jury Prize at DOC NYC
Golden Key at Kassel Dokfest
Youth Jury Award (UPV/EHU) from ZINEBI64
Grand Prix long-métrageat at Festival International du Film d'Amiens
Best Antropological Film “Gian Paolo Paoli” Award at the Festival dei Popoli
Tempo Documentary Award